Gourmet Cooking at Home!
You don't have to visit the islands to make this quick and easy tropical fruit salad. The tangy, sweet and spicy fruit salad dressing lightly coats the juicy fruit. The whole tropical salad is ready with only 15 minutes of prep and it's so good. … [Read more...]
Want a healthy fruit salad with a little twist? Rum-Spiked Tropical Fruit Salad is lush and sweet with toasted caramel notes of island rum. Perfect on its own, or spoon this tropical fruit salad over sponge cake for the perfect end to a summer meal. This is less of a recipe and more of a need to use up the boatload of tropical fruit I acquired while driving back across the state after my daughter's college graduation. Despite its simplicity... or maybe because of it... Rum-Spiked … [Read more...]
Arguably, summer fruit is THE BEST! Give me an icy wedge of watermelon or some juicy berries on a sweltering July day and I'm a happy camper! Sometimes, I get carried away, though -- and over-buy. In my defense -- all of the fruit in the market just looks so inviting it's hard to resist. It's also hard to resist a ready-made fruit salad and I've found that if there's one prepared, folks will bypass cookies and other sweets in favor of this Tipsy Fruit. Yes, tipsy. … [Read more...]
When the stores are over run with cara cara navel oranges, honeybells, grapefruit and tangerines, this winter citrus salad is a lifesaver. Tossed with sliced cucumbers and red onion and drizzled with sherry vinegar dressing, it makes a great side dish for weekend brunching or grilled chicken, pork and seafood. We love the extra crunch of toasted hazelnuts and fresh pops of mint, too. … [Read more...]
This hydrating watermelon cucumber salad with honey lime dressing is light and fresh. I've added crumbly queso fresco, blueberries and a smidge of piment d'espelette to the dish for a unique watermelon blueberry salad that stands apart from the rest. I was in New York about a month ago when the temperature hit 105°. Let me repeat that - 105°. Here in Florida, it's not the heat -- it's the humidity and with feels like temps that range from 100°-105°, … [Read more...]
When I was a kid, there was always a box or two of Jell-o pudding in our pantry - it was great for a quick dessert and when you poured it into a pie shell? Voilà - pudding pie! These days, I make my pudding from scratch (you wouldn't believe how easy it is) and I play around with the flavors. Like this Tropical Coconut Rum Pudding... It's not your average from-a-mix dessert. This pudding is laced with dark rum and the fruit is soaked in it - 'cause you know, that's how we roll! … [Read more...]
Step out of the ordinary "ranch" and "Italian" salad dressing routine with this amazing Curried Mango Dressing. It's velvety smooth with a tangy, sweet flavor that goes great on salads and also makes a delicious mango sauce for chicken, pork and seafood. Best of all, this easy homemade salad dressing is ready in about 5 minutes. … [Read more...]
Before I made South Florida my home, I used to visit the area for Spring Break. There were 24-hour car rides to Key West and slightly less painful 20-hour treks to South Florida. Aside from a lot of beer, hamburger joints and diners, we also sampled some not so traditional "college fare" like conch fritters, fish dip and this Citrusy Hearts of Palm Salad. … [Read more...]
Need a delicious simple syrup for fruit salad? This guava flavored simple syrup uses pink guavas, a vanilla bean and cinnamon stick for a delicious guava vanilla simple syrup that's like ambrosia for fruit and balanced in cocktails. This guava vanilla simple syrup is the jumping off point for a multitude of recipes, so if you've got guavas, get ready and if you don't -- find some. My guava syrup has a tropical, seductive nose without being overly cloying. It's a great flavored simple … [Read more...]
Do you crave spicy? Does that tingle on your tongue and the burn on your lips keep you wanting more? Do you gravitate toward Sichuan? Or jerk? Do you bottle your own hot sauce? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, consider this Asian Style Cucumber Salad the antidote to that particular style of self-mortification. … [Read more...]
Grapefruit doesn't have to be boring. Kick it up with a nose-tingling cinnamon, cardamom and powdered vanilla blend. Run it through a hot oven and you'll have Sugar n' spice broiled grapefruit -- a warm, juicy bite of sunshine, with a delectable caramely-spiced crust that's ready in under 10 minutes. … [Read more...]
If you love a good vegetable quiche, this Roasted Bell Pepper and Artichoke Quiche should be on your To-Do list. It's easy to make, (you can even use a ready made pie crust and roasted peppers from a jar) and can be cooked ahead of time and reheated just before serving. For a more tender chew, I use baby artichokes in this quiche. A bit of creamy fontina cheese ties all the flavors together. Makes a great brunch dish or light meal with a side salad. … [Read more...]
Those three BIG summer holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day all have one thing in common. Grilling, Smoking and Barbecue. At least that's what our Labor Day traditions have always revolved around. Use this roundup of BBQ recipe ideas as inspiration for your summer celebrations. With grilled burgers, ribs on the grill, perfect grilled chicken, grilled veggie recipes, yummy grilled seafood recipes and even grilled desserts, there's something for everyone! … [Read more...]
If you love fruit salsa on your chicken, pork and seafood, this Pineapple and Mango Salsa will "wow" your tastebuds. With fresh diced onions, peppers, cilantro and mint, this tropical fruit salsa is as versatile as it is delicious! It may look like a bowl of fruit salad, but don't be fooled. This Pineapple and Mango Salsa is nowhere near that benign! I mean, "WOW!" It's as good as it looks -- no better! It was good before I added the secret ingredient. After -- well. Oh my Lord … [Read more...]
This post is sponsored by Bonne Maman. I was compensated and received product for this post. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Garlic & Zest! #SayItWithHomemade #BonneMaman As a child, I loved to make my parents breakfast in bed. I thought there was something so special about that breakfast tray -- laden with bacon, eggs and pancakes. With cloth napkins tucked under the plates, a fresh pot of coffee and small glasses of juice. It seemed very fancy to me and a way to do … [Read more...]
My daughter is obsessed with smoothies. When she was in high school, Jamba Juice opened a storefront across from her school. She'd go with her girlfriends after classes and they'd order up their favorite blends, sit on a bench and chat, gossip, giggle and generally act like teenage girls. This Mango Berry Protein Smoothie mixes up all of her favorites into one yummy shake and makes a perfect meal replacement for breakfast or lunch. … [Read more...]
